Brutus
Brutus, full name Marcus Junius Brutus, is a historical figure best known for his pivotal role in the assassination of Julius Caesar. His lineage includes notable ancestors, such as Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Roman Republic, and Gaius Servilius Ahala, recognized for his act of tyrannicide. Despite a relatively unremarkable early political career, Brutus emerged during the Roman civil war of 49-48 B.C.E., initially aligning with Pompey the Great before shifting allegiance to Julius Caesar, who later appointed him governor of Cisalpine Gaul. As a senator, he became increasingly disturbed by what he perceived as tyrannical governance, which prompted him to join forces with Cassius in a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar on March 15, 44 B.C.E. Following the assassination, Brutus was declared an outlaw and ultimately faced defeat at the Battle of Philippi, leading to his and Cassius's suicides. His legacy is significant, as he is often remembered as a symbol of republican ideals and caution against the concentration of power, influencing later generations of senators in their views on governance and tyranny.
Brutus
Related civilization: Republican Rome
Major role/position: Military leader, politician
Life
Among Brutus’s ancestors were Lucius Junius Brutus, who founded the Roman Republic (509 b.c.e.), and the tyrannicide Gaius Servilius Ahala, who killed Spurius Maelius in 439 b.c.e. Because his father was murdered by Pompey the Great during a revolt in 76 b.c.e., Brutus was adopted by his maternal uncle, Quintus Servilius Caepio, and educated by his mother’s step-brother, Cato the Younger.
Brutus’s early political career is unexceptional. He came into prominence with the Roman civil war of 49-48 b.c.e. and its consequences. Making his peace with Pompey the Great, Brutus fought for the Roman Republic at Pharsalus. Captured and spared by Julius Caesar, he then changed sides. By 47 b.c.e., he was governing the province of Cisalpine Gaul for Caesar. By 44 b.c.e., he was the chief praetor in Rome and had been designated consul for 41 b.c.e. Disturbed by tyrannical developments in government, he joined with Cassius in leading the plot that resulted in the assassination of Caesar on March 15, 44 b.c.e. Outlawed for this action, Brutus and Cassius fought against Octavian and Marc Antony at Philippi and committed suicide in defeat.
Influence
Remembered for his part in Caesar’s assassination, Brutus was a role model for later senators. The assassination itself served as a reminder that the emperor ignored the senate at his peril. Rome remained nominally a republic, and the city’s republican institutions were highly esteemed.
Bibliography
Clarke, M. L. The Noblest Roman. London: Thames and Hudson, 1981.
Fuller, J. F. C. Julius Caesar. Ware, Hertfordshire, England: Wordsworth, 1998.
Syme, R. The Roman Revolution. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1939.